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OpenSim
OpenSim is an open source alternative to SimPholders, written in Swift.
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Overview
OpenSim is a free, open-source macOS menu bar utility built in Swift for rapidly inspecting, opening, and managing Xcode iOS/tvOS/watchOS Simulator sandboxes. Designed as an open alternative to SimPholders, OpenSim parses xcrun simctl automatically, watches simulator directories live, and navigates directly to any tested app's sandbox documents folder.
How It Works
OpenSim operates through structured, deterministic execution stages:
**Dynamic
simctl Environment Scanning**: Queries Xcode CoreSimulator runtimes and device sets dynamically via xcrun simctl for instant launch readiness.One-Click Container Sandbox Access: Opens App Documents, Caches, Library, and Application Support directories straight in Finder or Terminal.
Simulator Cache Cleanup: Purges stale simulator build artifacts and orphaned app containers with a single menu bar click to recover disk space.
Lightweight Background Watchers: Monitors filesystem changes in
~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator so newly installed builds appear instantaneously.Key Technical Features & Capabilities
Zero-Lag Simulator & App Discovery: Automatically detects booted and installed iOS simulators via
xcrun simctl rather than brittle plist heuristics.One-Click Sandbox Navigation: Jumps straight to an app's
Documents, Library, Caches, or root container in Finder, iTerm2, or Terminal.Directory Watchers: Uses File System Event monitors to refresh active simulator apps immediately as Xcode installs or updates builds.
Quick Cleanup & Termination: Unloads inactive simulator caches or resets sandbox state cleanly from a compact status menu.
Architecture & Technology Stack
Primary Languages: Swift
Frameworks & Tooling: Cocoa / AppKit, Xcode
xcrun simctl, CoreServices FSEventsBuild System: Xcode (
OpenSim.xcodeproj)Supported Platforms: macOS with Xcode Command Line Tools installed
System Requirements
| Specification | Minimum Requirement | Recommended Specification |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | macOS (Universal Apple Silicon & Intel) | Latest stable release build |
| Processor Architecture | 4-Core x86_64 or Apple Silicon M1 | 8-Core Apple Silicon / Core i7+ |
| Memory (RAM) | 4 GB Unified Memory | 16 GB+ High-Speed RAM |
| Disk Space | 1 GB free SSD storage | 5 GB+ free SSD storage |
Installation & Setup Guide
macOS Installation
1
Download
OpenSim.app.zip from CookApps or install via Homebrew:bash
brew install --cask opensim
2
Move
OpenSim.app to /Applications and ensure Xcode simulators are installed.Building from Source
bash
git clone https://github.com/luosheng/OpenSim.git cd OpenSim open OpenSim.xcodeproj
How to Use & Workflow
1
Boot iOS Simulator: Start any simulator target in Xcode or Simulator.app.
2
Click OpenSim Menu Icon: Browse detected devices filtered cleanly to active simulators hosting user applications.
3
Inspect App Containers: Hover over any installed iOS app to launch its SQLite/Realm container folder in Finder or Terminal.
Troubleshooting & Common Issues
Issue: Empty simulator list in OpenSim menu bar.
*Cause*:
xcode-select does not point to an active Xcode installation containing CoreSimulator runtimes.*Resolution*: Run
sudo xcode-select -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer and verify xcrun simctl list.How to Use & Getting Started
## Installation & Setup Guide
### macOS Installation
1. Download `OpenSim.app.zip` from CookApps or install via Homebrew:
```bash
brew install --cask opensim
```
2. Move `OpenSim.app` to `/Applications` and ensure Xcode simulators are installed.
### Building from Source
```bash
git clone https://github.com/luosheng/OpenSim.git
cd OpenSim
open OpenSim.xcodeproj
```
Ready to run OpenSim?
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